Breath of the Spirit

Spiritual Essay

November 28, 2004: FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Preparation. Longing… Joyful Expectation. Hunger. Maranatha

These are all words that help to describe Advent.

But somehow the messages of these words have been lost in the hustle and bustle of holiday preparations. So great and deep is our hunger to see God’s light, that we have filled the season with material things mistaking them as the nourishment for our souls. Do we know what to do to prepare for the “Lord’s” coming? It may be that we do not comprehend the depth of our desire to understand why we are here. What is it that we are waiting for? It is perhaps that we are afraid to really look at our emptiness.

A new coat or a new scarf or gloves may warm our bodies but what about our souls? Christmas melodies about jingle bells and frosty the snowman and Rudolph the red nose reindeer and chestnuts roasting on an open fire fill the air with nostalgia about Christmas. But what does it all mean?

Searching for liturgical music for the Advent Season has helped me to find the deeper meaning of the 4 weeks before Christmas. All living creatures have a purpose in this world. What sets us apart from all others is our free will and our ability to choose our course of action. Jesus came to this earth to be among us and experience the human condition. Jesus understood his purpose in the world and chose to accept it even though it meant suffering and death. He is our role model. We will learn our purpose in the world through prayer and relationship with God. Once we understand our purpose, we can make the choices that will lead us to that end. The hymns of Advent reflect our desires for “Christ’s light in the darkness”, “God’s steadfast love” and “tender mercy which never ends”, “forgiveness through redemption”, and “the coming of God in our day. “

This is why we celebrate advent and Christmas. This helps us to look at the void that may tempt us to focus on the material aspects of Christmas. We can address what we long for. We can accept what has been given to us. We can be in right relationship with God and give thanks and praise for her almighty love. “Our Lord Cometh...” Maranatha.